REACTION/REFLECTION

RESEARCH DESIGNS, METHODS AND PUBLICATION

My teaching philosophy rests on four elements. First, I set challenging goals for both

students and myself. Second, I believe in the effectiveness of action-oriented and

participatory learning. Third, I value diversity in and out of the classroom. Finally, I view

teaching as complementary to research. My preferred teaching areas (Biology and

Physical science) are closely related to choice of my research area. This will allows me

to bring examples from my own research and service into the classroom, as well as to

further my own thinking through classrooms discussions.

Teaching research methods and methods of statistical analysis often provides a unique

opportunity to motivate and empower students, as many are often skeptical about their

abilities in these areas. Because students learn in a variety of different ways, I use a

variety of methods in my classes to help ensure that one method will clarify concepts

when others do not.

My overarching concern when teaching courses on research methodology and methods

of statistical analysis is that students develop an ability to think critically and logically

when evaluating statistical information that is presented in research, as well as their

everyday lives. Although not every students can be expected to develop an interest in

quantitative method, I believe that they all need to be able to evaluate whether stated

conclusion are supported by the available data and analytic result. This helps create

informed consumers of research and provides students with a skill set that can apply to

their future careers.

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CURRICULUM AND MATERIAL DESIGN

My teaching plans include developing interactive and audiovisual teaching materials. I

will also use various tools, both technological and pedagogical, that will effectively

reinforce the teaching materials. I make use of a variety of instructional methods,

including traditional lecture, technological tools, group work, and individual practice. I

also vary my methods according to course content and student preferences. I will also

like to take advantage of the internet, especially in terms of using some great applets

that are available on the web for class demonstrations. I believe that one should employ

whatever tools that will most effectively accomplish the job of teaching students so that

they retain the main ideas long after they have forgotten who taught them. I would like

my students to see me as an accessible, supportive person who respects them as

individuals and is interested in their intellectual and personal development. I will strive to

communicate to them the excitement that is gaining new knowledge from day to day.

Often it is the interaction between teacher and students that nurtures the motivation and

enthusiasm for science.

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EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS

Graduate students need a good understanding of both the theory and application of

educational statistical methods. It is important for all students to see the connection: the

connection between theory and practice, between raw data and inference, and the

connections between different types of educational statistical methodologies. I also think

that students need to practice with the connections between raw data and inferences.

By this I mean that students need hands-on experience not only with data analysis, but

also with explaining the result of their analyses clearly and concisely in writing. It is

important that they are not just able to do a regression analysis, for example, but to also

understand the usefulness and limitations of their analysis.

On a practical note, I will like to supplement my lectures with numerous example data

analyses, using real data whatever possible, and base my homework assignments on

realistic problems. I also like to give homework assignments that involve writing a brief

report to summarize a statistical analysis, or a critique of a published analysis, as well

as individual or group projects and presentations. I also think students should be

exposed to the practice of statistics through critical appraisal of journal articles using

standard and validated tools.